The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-23
The Coming Ruler of France.

Clemenceau has smashed several Cabinets,
but has never yet formed one. De Freyeinet
he tolerated; MN. Ferry and Rouvier he hurled
from power. AS leader of the Advanced Left
he has been a conspicuous figure in French pgii-
tics for dozen years. That he is possessed Of
capacity of no mean order. his eIe,ni>x1
NIT; but his ability has always been directed
toward destroying rather than conserving or
creating. He is q Vendeean. with the resolute
and puenacious characteristics OF the people of
that historic province. He is editor and chief
proprietor OF La Justice, an influential Radical
journal.
Clemenceaa was born in 1s41, began his pro-
fessional Studies at Nantes. and com pieted them
al Paris, where, In 1869, he was created doctor
or medlcl'ne. after which he practiced at Mont
martre After the revolution of Sept 4. 1870
he was appointed mayor of the Eighteenth ar
rondissement of Paris. and member of the
ommission of communal education. At the
election of Feb. 8, 1871. he was elected a repre-
sentative of the department of the
Seine in the National Assembly,
the M ',rnbers Of the Extreme Left, and voted
again 81 the preliminaries Of peace. On the 18th
OF M arch he endeavored to save the lives or the
Gerlerals Lecomte and Clement Thomas but in
vaf.n, for he did not arrive at the Rue des Ro-
81 srs until after their execution. On this occa-
ION the central committee of the Communists.
Nhch was sitting at the Hotel de Vile, resolved
that Dr. Cemencau should be arrested; but he
was fortunate enough to e,ude the vigilance of
the insurrectionary police. When the murder
ers were put upon their trial Nov. % 1871 some
OF the witnesses accused him of having in
terfered early as he might have done, but he
was warmly defended by Colonel Langlois,
whose testimony appeared TO clear DR.. Clemen-
ceau from all blame in the matter. However
the accusations led to duel between Dr. Glenn
euceau and NJ. le Commandant de Poussargues
who was wounded in the leg by pistol shot. DR..
Clemenceau prosecuted for this affair a
month later, the result being that he was con-
demned oy the Seventh Chamber of Correc-
tional Police to be Imprisoned for fortnight
and to pay fine OF % francs In the sitting of
the Goth of March he introduced in the Ma
tional Assembly bill, signed by the Radical
factioniof the Deputies of the Department of the
Seine to authorize the election of a Municipal
Council for tho city of Paris, to consist of
eighty members; and he was one of those who
signed the manifesto of Deputies and MAYORS
fixing the municipal elections on the Goth of
that month. A candidate at those elections he
pelled 152 votes, but was not elected After
having taken part in the unsuccessful attempts
at concliation between the government
and the Commune, he in his resig-
nation both as Mayor and Deputy.
life. On July %, 1871. he was elected mem
ber of the Municipal Council of Paris for the
Cliguancourt quarter. and he took prominent
part in the discussions concerning primary Sec
ular instruction and financial questions On
Nov. 20. 1874, he was reelected member of
the Municipal Council, of which he became, sue
cessIvely, secretary and vIce-presidant, and
eventually president. in November, 1875 He
was elected Deputy for the Department of tn g
Seine by the Eighteenth arroudissement of
Paris Nov, 20, 1876. and afterward he became
Secretary of the Chamber. In the following
April he resigned his place in the Municipal
Council He was aeain reelected to the National
Assembly by the Eighteenth reimbursement of
Paris at the general election of Oct a. 1877
Since that time he mas been generally regarded
as the leader of the Advanced Left.